


Memory

by Azuriea



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-26 03:42:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2636714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuriea/pseuds/Azuriea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story of Life, Death, and Rebirth. During a showdown against their mortal enemy, Naraku, InuYasha is slain, leaving Kagome in a state of despair. Just as she begins to pick up the pieces again, someone new walks into her life, and turns it upside down in a way she never imagined. She is a firm believer in reincarnation, but never in a thousand years did she see this coming...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kagome was lost.

She sat alone in her room, late into the night, staring down at the rosary that once hung around InuYasha's neck. The beads were so familiar, and smooth. Yet they were cold. Not hanging around his neck, they were lifeless.

She wondered if the spell was still within the beads anymore, or if that too, was broken. She pondered wearing it herself, wearing everything that had been his, and never letting go of them.

After all, they were all that was left of InuYasha, aside from her memories.

Kagome had been attached to his possessions for months now, still refusing to accept the dark truth. He was gone, and all that was left was a necklace, a haori, and a sword. All three of which she kept with her in the modern era.

She was terrified to be without them, and often slept in his fire rat haori. On top of that, she hadn't returned to the feudal era since he was laid to rest. She knew she needed to, that no matter what, she had to complete the jewel, and cast Naraku into oblivion, but her soul couldn't handle the pain of losing InuYasha. All she could do was cry, and keep herself locked up in her room.

Until now.

She had reached a decision. If InuYasha taught her anything, it was that life went on, no matter what happened to the ones you care about. And you couldn't stop living too, no matter how much you wished you had died too, because the ones you lost would want you to move on, and be happy.

He wouldn't want her to drown in her sorrow, he wouldn't want her to be sad. Just like she didn't want him to be sad. If only things had turned out different…

She set the rosary back inside the wooden box she had it stored in, and she then gently folded up the haori, and placed in the box as well, before closing it up slowly.

If she was going to heal, she had to let him rest, even if that meant distancing herself from what once belonged to him. She would return to it one day, when the memory wasn't so painful, and vivid.

And when his scent didn't make her heart seems as if it were being crushed by an iron vise. Even now, she could still smell him on his haori.

She slid the box under her bed, beside a few other boxes containing schoolwork she desperately needed to catch up on, and laid the sword under there as well, next to the boxes. She adjusted her bed skirt, so show no signs of anything beneath her bed, and stood slowly.

Today would be the first step she took towards healing, though the other end of the path seemed bleak, and nonexistent. Still, she had to begin moving forward, for InuYasha's sake. Truthfully, she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore, even when she thought that he would choose Kikyo over her, she still saw him in her future, but now…

All she saw was uncertainty.

And it was the worst feeling too. Despite that, she began to get ready for the first day of high school, with a new uniform, and a new course in life, and afterwards…she would go back to the warring states era to finish what was started.

After all, InuYasha needed to be avenged, and she would be the one to bring it to fruition. But before she began such a task, she had to overcome her grief, otherwise, she would simply end up dying right behind him.

She prayed for the strength to get through the day. Everyone knew that she was mourning someone close to her, and had refused to see everyone for a few months. All they knew was what her mother, or grandfather told them over the phone. And she was grateful her mother respected her wishes to have her left alone until she was ready to live again.

Now she not only had to face life, but her friends, whom she knew wouldn't be too happy with her, but once she explained just who it was that died…

She left the house without a word to anyone, and glanced down at her royal blue skirt. It was a bit longer than her middle school uniform had been, and now, she had a sweater as well. to wear with her uniform. She realized then just how sick she was of uniforms, and rules. Maybe she should take some time off, before beginning high school.

Starting it off in this frame of mind wouldn't help her to do well at all…her failing grades from missing so much school in middle school didn't help.

She made her way slowly across the shrine grounds, keeping extra care to not look at the well house, or sacred tree. Seeing such symbols, especially the tree, would only make her feel worse than she already did.

She hurried down the shrines steps, to the street, and quickened her pace, putting as much distance from herself, and every reminder of him as humanly possible. She knew that such a thought was sad in itself, but she had to do t, otherwise, she would die inside, and wouldn't ever be able to move on. InuYasha would understand…

The school grounds were crazy when she arrived. People were talking to each other, bustling about, preparing for the first day, and she suddenly felt out of place in it all. She didn't recognize a single face in the crowd as she made her way to the building

She made her way through a group of middle school girls, wearing her old style of uniform, and they seemed so…young to her, for some reason. It made her past endeavors in middle school seem like a lifetime ago. Things really did seem simpler back then...

The door was in reach, and she moved her arm out to grab the door handle when…a hand reached it first, and opened it before her.

She was one that believed in fate, not coincidence, and that all things happened for a reason. But when she turned, and looked at the face of the high school boy that opened the door for her, she felt like she had been holding her breath for too long, and inhaled sharply.

There he stood, in the black uniform all high school boys wore, with a warm smile, and a twinkle in his violet eyes. His hair was cut in a shaggy, modern style, that still retained the same shape she remembered.

"Ladies first," his voice spoke, politely.

She'd expected a different timber of voice, deeper, maybe. After all, being a reincarnation herself, she had a different voice than Kikyo had, and many small aspects were different, but his voice…

….was exactly the same it had always been.

She hurried through the door quickly, and could FEEL him following her. That was one thing about InuYasha, she could feel when he was nearby. And it was the same now, as it was then.

But then again, it could be her mind playing tricks on her, since his death was so fresh to her, though to this reincarnation, it was well over five hundred years ago. So it made sense, sort of.

She hastened her pace, and could feel his quicken as well. She hurried into her classroom, and was about to claim the seat farthest in the back when a hand landed on her shoulder. And she nearly screamed.

She spun around to meet the uncharacteristically happy face , which was holding her calculus textbook in one hand.

"Luckily, we share the same class, you dropped this by the school entrance," he explained. Her mind kept reeling.

Why now? Why now of all times did he have to be thrust into her life?

She wanted to run away, yet at the same time, she quelled the urge to embrace him. So, she simply accepted her textbook, with a weak smile.

"Thank you." she replied just as weakly.

He glanced around the room then, and bit his lower lip. For an instant, his unusually happy expression clouded into an expression all to familiar to her, and tears threatened.

"Um, I know this may sound strange, but have we met before? You seem so familiar," he asked.

The floodgates burst, and she began to cry, right there, in front of everyone. And she noted, despite the tears, and anguish, he reacted the same way InuYasha did whenever she cried. His hands waved about wildly, and he had a look of fear, and shock on his face.

"No no! Don't cry! What did I say?! I'm sorry! Please stop!" he seemed to plead at her, but she couldn't help it, it had been too much. And before what happened could register in her mind, he was ushering her out of the classroom, and out of the school completely, towards the soft grassy schoolyard.

She fell down onto the grass, with an unceremonious plop, and covered her face with her hands. He sat down too, and she silently wished him to go away. After a moment, she got her emotions back under control, and slowly moved her hands away, only to find him staring at her with an overly concerned expression.

"You're Kagome, aren't you.?" he asked. She fought the sudden urge to hit him just then.

"How did you know my name?" she asked in bewilderment. He smiled again.

"Ah, well, my family is close friends with one of your friend's family. Ayumi told me all about you." he supplied.

She groaned inwardly. Which meant, he knew she was extremely strange, always sickly, and possibly demented. But, then again, Ayumi didn't see her the way the others did. Ayumi was the most tolerable of the group. He seemed to shift slightly, to sit more comfortably, leaning back against a large tree.

"What's your name?" she asked carefully. He glanced towards the school, then back at her.

"I'm Shoji," he said. Her heart hammered in her chest. She then recalled Ayumi speaking of the son of a close family before, but they lived overseas at the time, and this was when Inuyasha was still alive too…

"Are you alright, Kagome?" he asked.

She blinked at him. Was she? For the first time, she could say that she knew exactly how Inuyasha felt back when they first met. He looked at her, and saw only Kikyo. She looked at Shoji, and saw…

She knew better than anyone, that a reincarnation was a completely different person altogether, they simply resembled their previous life. So why was he identical, save for shorter hair?

And why was he so familiar with her?

He reached forward, slicing into her thoughts, and she held her breath, as he touched her cheek, then her forehead.

"You feel a little warm, maybe I should walk you home," he offered. She wanted to refuse, and stay, but going home, and relaxing sounded like a better plan, and she conceded.

"Alright," she agreed quietly.

He helped her, up, and let her hold onto his arm, as they made their way off school grounds. Once they were down the street, she could hear the school bell chime as classes begun, and she let out a sigh.

"Ayumi said you were sick for quite a while, to be honest, I'm surprised you came to school today," he said, as they made their way down the street.

All she could do was sigh slightly. If Kagome of a year ago, saw Kagome today, she would kick her ass back into optimism.

"It comes and goes," she explained simply. What else could she say without looking completely crazy?

"It's strange, Ayumi talked about you a lot, but I never knew what you looked like. Still, you seem so familiar somehow," he seemed to wonder aloud.

"We've never met, I'd remember you," she said, with certainty. He laughed gently.

"Maybe in another life then," he teased.

His words caused her to distractedly trip, and twist her ankle, which throbbed more than any twisted ankle should be allowed to. She wanted to slap fate upside the head right now, if it even HAD a head…

Shoji held her upright, though she wanted to fall to the ground. Maybe it would swallow her up…

"Wow, that looks really swollen, you better not put any pressure on it," he began. He leaned her back against the wall to a building, and did the very last thing she expected. He crouched down in front of her.

"Hop on, I'll carry you piggyback to your house." he instructed.

She simply stared at him, and could almost see the amber eyes, and flowing silver hair…  
But she was curious. Her sadness was ever slowly seeping away, the longer he was close to her. And she couldn't help but want to see exactly why he was thrust into her life so quickly, but fate was something she believed strongly in.

SO she hopped up onto his back, like she had on InuYasha's so many times before, and that's when it hit her.

He smelled the same too.

In essence, he was Inuyasha, but at the same time, he wasn't. But did that mean that InuYasha was inside him somewhere, like Kikyo had been inside of her?

He stood effortlessly, and began to walk in the direction she told him. Along the way, she rested her head on his shoulder, and wondered if this was meant to be, to get her to simply move on, without the intense pain and sorrow? Or was there something else behind all this? It would be one thing to see him in passing, but another to be interacting with him with familiarity.

He felt so warm too, and she knew she might be holding onto him a bit more tightly than necessary, but she didn't care. He did seem familiar too, in the strangest way. She was so caught up in the feel of it all, that she felt dread when he began to walk up the shrine steps.

"Ayumi told me you were shrine keepers. I've never seen one myself." he said.

"It's not much, a house, some rooms for storing ancient artifacts, and scrolls," she began.

"Wow, that's one huge tree," he said quietly. He seemed to make a beeline for the tree, and Kagome squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's our family's sacred tree." she said quietly in turn.

"It's amazing, Kagome. It has to be about a thousand years old," he said in awe. He stepped closer to the tree, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her, as if letting him get too close to it was wrong. It was InuYasha's tree.

"The house is over there," she spoke up, pointing in the direction of it. He nodded, and headed in that direction, and she let out a deep breath.

"Is your ankle bothering you?" he asked.

"It's not that bad, I've had worse," she admitted. Acid burned feet came to mind…

He brought her inside, and she frowned, realizing that no one was home. He seemed to notice this too, as he set her down on the fluffy couch.

"I'll go get you some ice," he said.

As he left the room to head for the kitchen, Kagome screamed into one of the throw pillows. Was this how InuYasha felt all the time about her? She was angry, but peaceful at the same time. Truthfully, she didn't know a word to describe how she felt…

He returned, not only with ice for her ankle, but with a warm cup of hot chocolate, of all things, with marshmallows.

"You don't have to do all this," she tried to explain, as he laid a blanket over her lap.

"Its alright, besides, just leaving you here all alone with a swollen ankle didn't feel right, after all I do sort of feel responsible, since it was my suggestion to walk you home that caused you to get hurt," he said.

"I'm just doomed to have bad luck," she muttered.

"You need anything else?" he asked.

"Um, I could read a book, but I'll get it later," she said.

"I'll get it, just tell me where it is," he said.

"I don't want you to fuss," she replied.

"Keh! It's no big deal, I promise." he said. Her heart skipped a beat. Did she hear him right? Did he just make the same sort of scoff too?! She deftly pointed up.

"First door, on the left," she answered, blinking at him in bewilderment. She sank down on the couch, and watched him walk out of the room….

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	2. Chapter 2

Ayumi said her friend Kagome was a bit mysterious, but she didn't seem all that odd as other people made her out to be. She did seem sad though, he could see it in her eyes. And it worried him, despite the fact that she was a complete stranger.

And he…was in that complete strangers bedroom…which had a pleasant smell of cherry blossoms to it.

He walked in quickly to the book, which sat on the nightstand beside her bed, and halted midstride, as a sudden spike of pain drove itself through his chest. It was so abrupt, and crippling, that he fell to his hands and knees on the floor, and gasped for air.

Of all places for it to happen, it had to be in a stranger's house, that didn't know about his condition.

It had never been so intense before, not enough to drive him to his knees in agony. He was about to stand when it happened twice more, and he fell flat to the floor with a groan. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Usually, the visions accompanied the pain, as always, and this time was no exception. Normally, everything went by too quick for him to make anything out but this time…

He saw her…only she was dressed differently, and she looked very happy, and he was…what was he doing?!

Before the images could play out, they faded, and his regular vision returned to him. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the bright spot from his vision, only it wasn't a bright spot, it was something glowing underneath her bed…

He crawled forward, and lifted the bed skirt gently, and peered underneath into the shadows. A faint purplish light was emanating from a small wooden box.

 

His curiosity got the better of him, and he carefully pulled the box out from under the bed. He rose to a sitting position, and carefully eased the lid open…..

And that's when all hell broke loose.

A few dozen bright small spheres of light rose up from the box, and darted all around the room, seemingly diving at him. He swatted at them, to no avail, as they tried to surround him. He leapt up off of one foot, and dove out of the room.

The hallway began to glow, and he knew that they were right behind him, but he didn't look back. He ran down the stairs, tripped on an area rug, and fell to floor right in front of the couch.

"What are you-OH!" Kagome gasped.

He sat up quickly, and spun around, only to find that the spheres had encircled his neck…and he closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. He held his breath…

And felt a slight weight hang around his neck.

He opened one eye, to find Kagome staring at him, wide eyed. Then he looked down, to see a sort of rosary necklace around his neck.

"What…the HELL was that?!" he exclaimed. He began to yank on the necklace, to lift it off, but it refused to be removed. Every time he yanked it too far in one direction, it began to glow, and yank itself back down around his neck.

"Get it off!" he cried, falling down onto his back, still yanking at them. Kagome was at his side in a flash, trying to help, but she too, didn't seem to be able to remove…whatever it was…maybe the kids at school were right after all…

He gave up, and remained laying on the floor, gasping for breath.  
"I got attacked…by jewelry?" he wondered aloud. To his dismay, he found Kagome…wait, was she laughing?!

"I fail to see how possessed, attacking necklaces can be funny," he said.

She covered her mouth with her hands. She was crying too. Now he was extremely confused. He sat up, the possessed necklace forgotten at the moment, and looked at her.

"You didn't hurt your ankle more did you?" he asked. She shook her head slowly.

"Then….what's…wrong?" he asked. She stood up so quickly, that it caught him off guard, and he flinched slightly, as she hopped over him, favoring her hurt ankle, and dodged up the stairs, leaving him in complete bewilderment.

Serves him right for skipping school on the first day…

Not even five minutes later, she was hauling him by the arm, outside, and into what she called the well house. A backpack was slung over one shoulder, and in her hand, she held a small jar of…broken glass?

Curiosity getting the better of him as she explained the wells name, bone eaters well, he peered down into the darkness, and could see the shadows of what could be bones…

"What does this well have to do with any-HEY!!" he shouted, as she shoved him forward, while he had been peering into the well.

An intense light blinded him, and he threw his arms up over his face. So this was how he was going to die? A pretty, crazy girl pusing him down a dark well, where no one would know to look. Did the bones belonged to all her other victims? Wait, the well wasn't that deep, why hadn't he hit the bottom…

Okay, why did he float to the bottom? One second he's falling, then a light flashes, and now he floats? He glanced up the dark shaft…wait, why wasn't it dark? And WHY did he see blue skies? There wasn't a skylight in that old well house…and there were vines all over now.

He grabbed one of the said vines, and began to haul himself up the shaft to the opening above. Why did all the weird stuff always happen to him? He thought up an array of things to call Kagome the next time he saw her…IF he saw her, then again, he could be dead, and this was…

He peered over the side of the well, and, he wasn't in hell at least. Though there was a bit too much green for his liking.

He climbed free of the shaft, and looked around slowly. That strange familiar ness washed over him again, right down to the gentle breeze. He closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. He opened his eyes slowly, to find a kid hanging upside down in a tree right in his face, emerald eyes blinking a mile a minute.

"InuYasha?" his small voice asked. The little creature looked at him as if he were about to burst into tears.

Shoji took a step back. This small kid had pointy ears, and fangs. And...a tail?! He turned to flee, only to see Kagome follow him out of the well.

"You! What did you do! Kidnapping is a crime you know!" he shouted.

"Kagome! You came back!" a happy voice cried. Shoji ducked as the kid leapt through the air at them both. Kagome caught him effortlessly.

"I'm back, sorry if I worried you Shippo." she said gently. Shoji looked at the little kid closely.

"I get it," he said. Kagome looked at him with a sort of hopeful expression.

"I'm dreaming, I'm still at the bottom of the well, unconscious." he said. The kid gave him a funny look before jumping on him.

"What's with him? Why is he talking so funny?" Shippo asked. Shoji looked at him carefully.

"What are you?" he asked carefully. The kid gave him a devious little smile.

"I'm a youkai, of course." he said.

"You…kai?!" Shoji squeaked, as he tossed Shippo away, and hid behind Kagome. Shippo landed on his head nearby with a scowl.

"InuYasha! You stupid jerk!" the kid wailed.

"Why does he keep calling me that?" he asked Kagome. She sighed gently, and looked over her shoulder at him.

"It's a long story, but I can't tell you out in the open like this, follow me," she said, walking forward.

"Why should I trust a girl that pushed me down a well?" he asked.

"You're the one that went through my stuff, so you're in no position to criticize," she said, in an irritated tone. Shoji took a deep breath. It didn't matter if he wanted to go or not, she was his only way out, so…

So…that's what he gets for trying to be nice to someone!

"Wait up!" he called.

"Hurry up!" Kagome called back.

"I'm not exactly dressed for this you know," he muttered under his breath. He kicked a rock as he followed reluctantly. It wasn't really his fault he went snooping in her stuff before, but how could he explain why he ended up on her floor, and saw a glowing box where a possessed necklace was kept…

Then again, why would anyone have a possessed necklace stashed away anyways?!


	3. Chapter 3

She arrived to find InuYasha already transformed into his human form, curled up beside Kirara. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell in a rhythmic motion of sleep. She couldn't help but smile to herself at the sight. InuYasha was as tough as they come, but when he was asleep, he looked so innocent, and endearing. Then again, to her, he always was. He was her strength, in so many ways. She didn't know what she would do without him.

His dark eyelids fluttered gently, and his eyes opened dreamily. He smiled almost shyly, and yawned. Kagome set her backpack down, and knelt down beside him.

"Seeing you sleeping so peacefully in your human form is a great relief," she said quietly. The others were asleep nearby, and the last thing she wanted to do was wake everyone up from her severe lateness to return.

"I've got a good bodyguard," he said. Sitting up carefully he made sure not to disturb Kirara, and looked at her with sleepy eyes.

"Why are you so late?" he asked.

"Final exams," she explained.

"Tests…" he muttered. With a slight shrug, he stood, and offered her a hand. She looked up at him curiously.

"Aren't you tired?"

"Keh! I'm not THAT weak of a human to need to sleep all night," he said, his cheeks flushing slightly. She took his hand, and he helped her to stand. Much to her surprise, he kept holding her hand gently, and led her away from the others.

"Is there something on your mind?" she asked quietly.

"When isn't there?" he countered. She rolled her eyes.

"If this is about Koga trying to claim me this afternoon, save the lecture," she murmured.

"Who? No, this has nothing to do with that stinking wolf,"he said quietly.  
Kagome smiled wistfully. Despite Kouga's on again, off again claim over her, InuYasha seemed to get over his insecurity about it. He didn't get riled up whenever Kouga came around, like he used to. Though, this afternoon, the wolf youkai seemed very determined to claim her, and she never saw InuYasha react the way he had. She half expected it to turn out like all the other fights, but it was different this time. InuYasha protected her honor, and she, trying to stop the fight before anyone got seriously hurt, sat him.

And she felt terrible for it.  
Though he took the abuse without a word, and she told Kouga firmly where she stood. And she swore to herself to never use the subduing spell on him, not unless it was absolutely necessary. She also swore it to him as well. InuYasha led her to a grassy hill, above the campsite, which looked so small down below. She looked at him curiously, wondering what he was up to. When he was in his human form, he never usually strayed from the others like this.

"This all disappears one day, doesn't it?" he asked quietly. She looked over at him, to see his hair billow behind him in the gentle breeze, not obscuring his features.

"What?" she stammered, realizing that she was gawking at him.

"This hill, this plain, the trees beyond that, none of it exists in your era," he said.

"Yeah, this area happens to be a large part of the city in my time." she noted aloud.

"It must be nice, to be able to appreciate both sides," he remarked in a strange voice. " I'm going to miss it."

"InuYasha?" she whispered. Now he was beginning to worry her.

He looked at her then, and his eyes sparkled. Maybe it was then that she saw something new, something she never saw before in them.  
She could see herself, reflected in his eyes. And something else…

"I've decided. After we complete the jewel, and get rid of it, I want to go with you," he said quickly.

"To the modern era?" she squeaked. He nodded. Her mind whirled. With her? To stay?

"I know it might be difficult, with how different your era is," he went on.

"Um, in my era, will you be a hanyou, or a full youkai?" she asked quietly. He smiled then, so gently, yet so full of conviction.

"A hanyou, of course."

She embraced him then, nearly knocking him down in her excitement. He wanted to be with her! He wanted to live in her era! He…  
He chose… He held her tight.

"Everything will work out, you'll see." he spoke softly in her ear…

 

Kagome awoke with a start. She sat up so abruptly, that the world turned in on itself, and she fell over sideways, with an unceremonious thump loud enough to wake the dead.

Or it should have.

Close by, Shoji was sleeping soundly, and silently. His face had a serene look to it, as he dreamed. And cuddled up with him was the traitor Shippo, who had taken a liking to the carbon copy a little too quickly for her taste. Shippo and InuYasha never really got along so well as to cuddle, like she and Shippo did, but InuYasha would have sacrificed his life for the little kitsune, if need be.

She kicked the blanket she slept under free of her legs, and stood quietly. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were in the village of the demon slayers, which was a few days away on foot. She wanted to talk to Miroku, and missed Sango desperately, so she decided, or to put it right, forced Shoji to come too. After all, they wouldn't believe it until they saw it. Or him, rather.  
She was still trying to figure it all out herself. Part of her wanted to kick Shoji for looking like InuYasha so much. Part of her…longed for him to fulfill the promise he made to her on that specific afternoon before.

"Cant sleep?" his voice sliced through the silence like a knife. She looked over at him. He had that same sleepy look too, damn him!

"I don't sleep well anymore," she said evenly, trying to adopt some of the couldn't-care-less tone she heard Sesshomaru often employ.

"Are you going to treat me this way the entire time?" he asked.  
She sighed. Maybe she shouldn't have told him…everything. He HAD accepted it pretty well, though pushing him down the well, and into the feudal era helped to convince him. It took an encounter with a boar youkai to completely make him admit he was indeed awake, and not unconscious at the bottom of the well. And, that he was 500 years into his past, seemingly walking the same path as her.

Almost…

"Just go back to sleep, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," she said. Shoji sighed, and turned on his mat, putting his back to her. Why was she so mean to him anyways? Its not like he did anything wrong. Except that he looked like InuYasha, which meant that he was his reincarnation, and that he was truly gone.

And she never got to say goodbye.

"Women," she heard Shoji mutter under his breath. She couldn't help but smile slightly, despite the circumstances. She did know one thing though, she held a deeper understanding of how InuYasha must have felt.

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	4. CHapter 4

The following morning they headed out. Shippo sat, to Kagome's surprise, on her shoulder as they made their way through the forest. She felt better, now that she had a bow, and a quiver of arrows, in case they ran into any more unexpected encounters.

"He smells the same," Shippo whispered quietly in her ear. His comment caught her off guard, and she felt her pulse quicken slightly.

"Huh?"

"He smells the exact same, as InuYasha in his human form." Shippo explained.

"That's not possible," she countered. He stole his scent too?!

"It's hard to trick the nose of a youkai Kagome," Shippo replied, almost annoyed.

"I should have just stayed in bed, rather than go to school," she murmured.

"Speaking of, how's your ankle?" Shoji spoke up from a little ways behind them.

"It's just fine. Keep up, or you'll get picked off by a youkai," she ordered him. He sighed slightly…again.

"Yes Ma'am," he said, halfheartedly.

"So, Shippo, any news from the wolf youkai tribe?" Kagome asked, desperate to change the subject. She could have sworn she heard Shippo snicker.

"Why? Do you think if Kouga came for you it might make InuYasha remember or something?"

"What? Remember? What are you talking about?" she asked, flushing.

"Curious, do tell." Shoji spoke up.

"Quiet you!" she shot back at him, with a glare. The anger that crossed his features was so abrupt, and familiar, that she flinched.

"What?! First you kidnap me, and now I cant talk?! You stupid girl!! You're not my keeper!" he snapped back.

Shippo's tiny claws dug into her shoulder. "Sometimes, I could swear that's him coming to the surface. His scent changes and everything!" he squeaked.

"Its…not possible Shippo. InuYasha died, remember?"

"Stranger things have happened,"

Kagome could hear Shippo's words echo over and over in her mind. "His scent changes and everything." What did it all mean? Was there some sort of connection between InuYasha and Shoji, beyond reincarnation?

"You brought me here, you've forced me on this little field trip to god knows where, and on top of that, you're being a b-" Shoji continued. Kagome didn't know where it came from, or why, all she knew was it was like instinct.

"SIT!!" she screeched angrily.

The necklace was bound to InuYasha's soul, so in actuality, the spell wouldn't have any effect on anyone else, when the word was spoken. Shoji had a sudden look of fear on his face, as the beads began to glow, and before she could let what was happening register in her mind, Shoji was doing a face plant in the soft ground.  
She fell to her knees on the soft grass, staring wide eyed. It shouldn't have done that at all. The beads should have remained silent. They should never have acted ever again.

Then she felt it. It was very faint, but she felt it. There was no mistaking it at all. The familiar aura washed around them, and it was coming from Shoji.

"Oi…that wasn't very nice," he grumbled. He lifted his head ever so slightly, and as he did, his dark hair shifted, and changed until it was that familiar silvery white hue. Two white triangles now rested atop of his head as well, and one twitched slightly. He looked at her, and his violet eyes were now that warm amber shade she knew so well.

"…you promised never to do that again," he said softly. Tears welled in her eyes, and something inside her seemed to heal itself in an instant.

"InuYasha?" she whispered.

 

The world had gone black.

His last memory, had been pain. Intense, excruciating pain, before everything was swallowed up by darkness. Then there was nothing left but memory. And that's where he stayed.  
There was no hell, no heaven, or any sort of afterlife at all. He simply drifted in nothingness, with only his thoughts to keep him company. No sound, nothing.

Except, of course, for her voice.  
It was the only thing he could hear. The one, single thing that he remembered. Her voice, and her face. Even though he could not see, he could see her. Always there, always smiling.  
She always HAD been there by him, no matter what was transpiring. Whether they were simply walking casually down a road, or fighting an enemy. Between time itself, or when he broke her heart, she was always there. Always reminding him that someone was there beside him.

Yet, despite that, somewhere along the ages, he began to forget things. Small things at first.  
Then memory became dreams, until the dreams faded too…

He couldn't remember anymore. Memory began again, the day that light returned, and life seemed to begin all over again. But it was all new, and the darkness was like a bad dream from long ago. He grew, learned, lived life carefree, and unknowing.

Until the dreams began again.

And with the dreams came the pain in his heart, with images flashing before his eyes too quickly to see clearly. Voices mostly, calling for him, but a name strange to him.  
Then one day, on the first day of high school, he met a pretty, yet very sad girl, whose sadness struck at his very soul. And with reasons he couldn't explain, he was drawn to her. He knew her somehow, but where, or how, he couldn't remember.

He helped her home. He remembered that. He remembered having another episode in her bedroom while getting her a book, and saw the strange glow from under her bed. Her room smelled so familiar somehow…

Before he knew it, he was thrust into a strange, yet familiar world, against his will at first, but he followed the girl again, as if he'd done it before. Something inside of him told him to stay beside her.

In all his confusion, he began to get angry. There was so much he didn't know, and he knew there were things that he SHOULD know, that he had forgotten. He wasn't an angry person, that he knew of anyways, but he just felt so angry with her, and he told her so.

And one moment, he's standing on his own two feet, the next…he was eating dirt.

Then he remembered that he was always eating dirt whenever he made her mad. Then again, hadn't she promised him that she wouldn't do that anymore? He knew she had said that, back before darkness obscured the light.

Memory.

Memory flooded back to him. All the way back to an arrow, and a frightened girl setting him free…and everything in between. All the way to…

He lifted his head slowly, feeling the familiar rush of power that was lost to him for five hundred years. By the scent in the air, he knew where he was, and who was nearby, and his first thoughts…

"InuYasha?" a voice asked quietly.

That voice. That sweet voice, that maybe he never forgot, but kept so close to him, that he couldn't see or hear anything at all.

"Kagome," he said softly. The young woman before him looked at him with wide eyes, full of tears. He'd never seen her in such a state. Her eyes held a deep sadness to them he'd never saw before.

Then he remembered. That fateful night, when time stopped, and he…died. It all came back to him so clearly, that it felt as it just happened.  
He had been sitting alone with Kagome, during the night of the new moon. And while he was in his human state, they were attacked. He could see the evil malice that poured from the lesser demons that surrounded them. Kagome told him to run, while she lifted her bow, but he had refused.  
That was when the pain came, pain unlike any he had ever felt. It tore the breath from his chest, and he could feel himself being lifted into the air, followed by a sinister laugh.

HIS laugh.

"Ku ku ku, It would seem that fate has decided to smile upon me at long last!" he said. With each word he spoke, his voice got more and more distant, as did Kagome's cries. He was trapped in Naraku's claw, each shoulder impaled completely through, immobilizing him above the area where Kagome fought.  
He could feel his life draining away, as his blood ran down his pierced body. How could he have not seen this coming? This is exactly why he remained hidden on this night, but no…

He could have shouted, cursed him. He knew he was about to die, but offering the bastard his last words was something he would never give. He felt the pressure on his spine, as another claw prepared to pierce his heart from behind, and he affixed his gaze on Kagome.  
There was one last thing he could give her before death took him. And he managed to say the words with all his heart, just as his heart was torn to nothingness.

"I love you!"

He didn't hear her scream, and run towards him, her entire body glowing from a power she had never before been able to tap into, nor did he feel his body hit the ground as his enemy dropped him from his claws.

By then, InuYasha was gone.

And now…he understood. Why he had the pain where there was no wound. He felt echoes of the past. His heart had been torn from his chest once. And now, it beat once more within his body. Naraku had declared fate smiled on him, when in fact, despite the sorrow, and pain, it smiled on InuYasha instead.

Still, he would rather die a thousand deaths than to see the pain he now saw in her eyes.

Raising himself to his hands and knees, he slowly crawled over to her. As he went, he wondered how in the world his school uniform had lasted THIS long. Not only that, he thought how unusual that he would be knowledgeable about stuff now, that he wasn't back then. He grew up in the modern era, as a human for seventeen years, yet he was still InuYasha, of the feudal era.

Then he realized, he had a place in the modern era now, he EXISTED there. Before, he was worried about leaving his era to live in hers, because he didn't exactly have a way to exist there, without someone realizing he didn't belong, but now…pieces began to fall into place. The sudden move from New York to Tokyo, the strange visits from his adoptive fathers acquaintance.  
Sesshoumaru!  
During his entire life in the Modern Era, Sesshomaru had been close by. Why?

Those thoughts seemed insignificant though, as he pulled her into his embrace without hesitation. After all, he had waited over five hundred years to hold her, to smell her…to tell her…

She held on so tight that she trembled, and he could feel her crying against his chest. He could almost feel the pain of what she must have gone through after he had died. He wished he could give her some of his strength, though at the moment, he was breaking too. He didn't care. It felt so right, and he was so relieved, and happy that he cried too.

"Uh…InuYasha?" a small voice asked. He opened his eyes slightly, to see the small redheaded kitsune child he now remembered so well, and missed dearly too. He couldn't help but smile, and offer the kit a spot in the embrace, which he took happily.

"I missed you too, Shippo." he said quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hapter 4 is here! I hope you like it, and the twist I put into the whole 'reincarnation' thing. I didnt want to do it how the whole Kikyo and Kagome thing was done.
> 
> There is no next best thing to InuYasha anyways XD he is THE InuYasha and not a reincarnation!
> 
> please be gentle!


End file.
